E. 06-32: On the Beach (1959) & The Day the Earth Caught Fire (1961)

ON THE BEACH (1959)—Set in a world devastated by nuclear war, On the Beach (1959) follows the lives of individuals in Australia awaiting inevitable radioactive fallout. As they grapple with impending doom, relationships form and unravel. The narrative unfolds with a poignant exploration of the human condition in the face of extinction, capturing the desperation, love, and humanity’s resilience in the shadow of impending catastrophe.

THE DAY THE EARTH CAUGHT FIRE (1961)—As Earth faces catastrophic climate changes because of simultaneous nuclear tests by superpowers, chaos ensues. Journalists investigate the anomalies, uncovering a government conspiracy to alter the Earth’s axis. Tensions rise as the world hurtles toward destruction.

Welcome to our fifth double-feature this season, delving into the apocalyptic realms of On the Beach (1959) and The Day the Earth Caught Fire (1961). Join us as we explore the poignant aftermath of nuclear war in the former and the consequences of global climate manipulation in the latter. Listen as Johnny Has the Keys awaits the inevitable end of humanity, bleak and remorseful because it is by our own hands.

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Ep. 06-04: The Last Man on Earth (1964) & The Omega Man (1971)

THE LAST MAN ON EARTH (1964) It is three years since a plague either killed everyone on earth or turned them into vampires. Dr. Robert Morgan is the sole survivor and lives a perilous existence where at night the vampires attack his house and during the day he seeks out the undead and permanently kills them. The monotony and isolation of his existence are getting to him – is this all to life there will ever be?

THE OMEGA MAN (1971) Robert Neville has survived a war waged with biological weapons. The plague from war has killed everyone else except for a group of albino-like survivors, led by a former newscaster now calling himself Matthias. His group is sensitive to light and heat and is bent upon smashing all remnants of the prior civilization, especially Neville.

Welcome to our second of FOUR Richard Matheson stories—FIVE, considering this episode is a DOUBLE FEATURE! The Last Man on Earth (1964) and The Omega Man (1971) are the first two feature film adaptions of Matheson’s seminal novel I Am Legend (the third being I Am Legend, 2007). Unfortunately, none of these adaptions have lived up to the phenomenal source material (many consider Night of the Living Dead (1968) a better option). Join us as we take on these two films, discussing the pluses (few) and minuses (many) that give these films—flawed as they are—a special place in our genre-loving little hearts. Listen, as Johnny Has the Keys hunts the dead by day and they, in turn, hunt us at night, questioning our existence in this strange and dangerous new world.

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Ep. 05-07: A Boy and His Dog (1975)

A Boy and His Dog (1975)—Vic (Don Johnson) is a libidinous “boy” traversing the post-apocalyptic desert of 2024, accompanied by his telepathic dog, Blood. When they encounter an underground community, the leader’s daughter, Quilla Holmes (Susanne Benton), seduces Vic into their fold, separating him from Blood, who’s left to survive on his own. But once Vic discovers he’s been lured there solely for the purpose of mechanized procreation, he elects to escape and rejoin Blood on the surface.

05-07 A BOY AND HIS DOG

Welcome to our first contribution from acclaimed, and often combative, sci-fi writer Harlan Ellison. A Boy and His Dog (1975) is not a perfect film by any means and, at times, resembles a movie a bunch of drunken friends made together on weekends. Join us, as we discuss the pros and cons that make this film an endearing cult classic–the source material, the cast, and the influence it had on future post-apocalyptic films (including one very popular director/franchise). Listen as Johnny Has the Keys scavenges the wastelands for food and carnal sustenance, only to discover that dog is, in fact, man’s best friend.

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Ep. 05-02: 28 Weeks Later (2007)

28 Weeks Later (2007) – Six months after the original epidemic, the rage virus has all but annihilated the population of England. The U.S. Army declares the danger gone, and American soldiers arrive to restore order and begin reconstruction. Refugees soon return to British soil, but one of them carries a deadly secret—some are immune but still carry the virus, meaning infection is only temporarily dormant and rage will rise again.

05-02 28 WEEKS LATER

England is safe. Wait! No? Danny Boyle’s insanely fast “zombies” are back in this much-anticipated follow-up to 28 Days Later (2002). Join us as we discuss the good and bad of this sophomore effort, including the familiar cast, screenplay, and the harrowing first eight or so minutes of the film. Listen as Johnny Has the Keys seeks to help reconstruct a decimated London just in time for another rage-infected pandemic!